Wizardofowls' story on the Hebridean Awakening got me started thinking on other 'answer to prayer' stories.

I have nothing so dramatic to share, but there was one time when God answered my prayer in a subtle, and yet very real way.

We hadn't intended to have more than three children. So when I discovered I was pregnant with number four, I was not exactly overjoyed. We didn't have money for the three we had, our house was already bursting at the seams and raising three virtually alone had already drained me. How could I possibly manage another one? At a loss, I walked along a lakeshore asking God what I should do. I knew if I didn't have to face this task alone that everything would be alright. However, I had never before been able to count on my husband. This time, unless I had his help, I knew I couldn't manage. Right then I looked on the lake and saw a family of geese swimming in a line. One adult at the head, four goslings following and the other parent bringing up the rear. A picture of a family. Four children and two parents sharing their care. I knew it to be a message to relax, that everything would be ok. And it has been. Michael is an amazingly brilliant, funny and sweet child. I can't imagine the world without him. He is such a comfort to me. And even though the the alcohol keeps him from being all he was meant to be, my husband has been there and I haven't had to raise them alone.

I have seen many geese families before and since, but I think that was the only time I ever saw one with four babies.

So, what are your stories?

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Compassion is the sometimes fatal capacity for feeling what it is like inside somebody else's skin. It is the knowledge that there can never really be any peace and joy for me until there is peace and joy finally for you too. - Frederick Buechner

If society prospers at the expense of the intangibles,how can it be called progress?

I have a chocolate-point Siamese cat named Koko. My wife hates him beacause he is very loud and "talkative". But I love him. I call him my "bubby". I started to call him my buddy once and in the middle of saying the word, somehow I changed it to baby and it came out bubby!

Anyway, about a year ago he vanished for a few days. I was growing very concerned for him. Then I found him in an old building one day, but the floor was too old and unreliable to go in. I tried calling to him but he wouldn't budge. So I tried to take him some food, hoping to draw him out. He did come close enough that I tried to reach out and grab him, but he was able to slip out fo my grasp. When he had been walking toward me, he was walking with a very pronounced limp. There are lots of snakes where we live and I was fearing the worst. Once he slipped out of my grasp, I couldn't get him to come back to me, so I had to give up that day.

I waited until the next day to try again. When I went back, all of the food was gone but so was Koko. I got very depressed and worried, but I refused to accept that he was dead. I wanted to pray for him, but I thought that it would be silly since he was just an animal. Then, during my daily Bible reading, I came across a verse that was like an answered prayer. Proverbs 12:10 "A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel."

So I began to pray in earnest for my cat. He stayed gone for another week, but I refused to give up. I prayed, "Lord if he has to die, at lest bring him home first so that I will know what happened and won't be worried."

Then one day, as I always did, I stepped outside at dinner time and called for him. No answer. Then, after dinner as my wife was washing dishes, she called, "ALLEN! Come look out the kitchen window!"

I did and saw Koko running home! Without even a trace of limp!

Our God is so good!!!!!!

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Slàn agus beannachd,Allen R. Alderman

'S i Alba tìr mo chridhe. 'S i Gàidhlig cànan m' anama.Scotland is the land of my heart. Gaelic is the language of my soul.

My story is about a profound religeous experience that has changed my life since it happened.

I was brought up a Christian and believed in God. I went through the youth classes at my church and happily became a full member. But when I went to college I had a class on Western Civilization. We talked about the roots of religeon and it made me, for the first time in my life, doubt my own faith. Eventially I even doubted the very existance of God and declared myself agnostic.

Well, one day I met young Mormon girl and she convinced me to talk to some missionaries. I had always been fascinated by their church, since I didn't know anything about it, so I thought it might be interesting. After talking to them I started thinking about God and if he really existed.

I was working at a foundry doing outdoor maintenance at the time. One day I was on the roof of the plant working. I looked around, saw I was alone and thought, "Why not?" So I got down on my knees and asked, "God, are you there?" Immediately I surrounded by warmth and a feeling of absolute, pure joy. I was like the prodigal son, being joyously welcomed home by his father. I've never felt so much love in my life. I was immersed in it. I have no doubt that God was as happy as I was that day, because he definitely showed it. I will never forget how that felt. I can feel it again as I write this.

Since then, I have no more doubt. I know that Jesus is a real person who died for the remission of my sins. I know that Holy Ghost whispers in my ear to help me do the right thing. And I know that God, our Father, created everything and above all, that he loves me. And I love Him.

Allen, so glad you did not give up on your kitty, says a major animal lover!

My little bit of praise and answer to prayer would be about my mother. She and I have never had the best of relationship. Several times we have had major falling outs. There was a period of time where we did not speak for 3 years or more. Finally, I called her and asked her for forgiveness. She never asked for forgiveness on her part, but I didn't care. She is my mother and I felt I was doing what God had called me to do...........make things right with my mother. My youngest sister lives with her and is her caretaker and they get along wonderfully..........always have. My two older sisters, who live out of state also, have not spoken to my mother in 20 years or more as they have had a strained relationship with her as well...........long story as to why. However, since my mother had her stroke, my two older sisters have come forward to reconciliate. This has been a real blessing and it is wonderful to see and wonderful to see my younger sister be so happy about us all coming together again.

I really love reading these stories about how prayers have been answered... God customizes His responses to us, and comes up with such unique ways to answer us, doesn't He? He rocks!

*I loved the cat story; I love cats!!*

Here's a great cat story:My daughter has a beloved cat named Simba, who is now about 8 years old. When he was only a few months old, our only indoor/outdoor cat Bobcat contracted feline leukemia which is quite contagious. Dear Bobcat died, and we were so afraid Simba and our other cat Whiskers had contracted the disease from him during the time they'd been in the house together. The morning we were to take Simba to the vets to be tested, I told my daughter "Let's pray for Simba, that God will let him not be sick like Bobcat was." The prayer that little girl prayed for her dear kitten brought tears to my eyes; it obviously went straight to the ears of God because much to the vet's surprise and delight Simba tested negative! Logically both cats should have caught the disease from Bobcat because they all lived in the house together...But Whiskers tested negative too, which thrilled all of us because he had adopted my husband and me when he was just a kitten and was always a charming reminder of our first days together as newlyweds. He lived to the fine old age of 19.

Today Simba rules the roost as Senior Cat and lives happily with 6-year-old Ruby and tomkitten Snicklefritz who will soon be 2 years old.

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"All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost;The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost.From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring;Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king..."

OMG! SB! Those kitties are marvelous. Must be wonderful to have them throughout the house! I know with just my two dogs I am thrilled. I compare them to real live stuffed animals that I can actually play with and have them lick my face! Love it!

My very life is a gift from God, as I was drinking myself to death in my early twenties... 25 years of sobriety are a wonderful answer to a simple prayer "God, what have I done to myself?"

For more recent evidence, I sat down last week and said, "God, I am so tired and don't seem to have enough time to do everything; and I'm going to have to lie to Instructional Services and call in sick in order to have next Friday free to shoot my student movie. Do you want me to drop my cinema class?"

Where now the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?Where is the helm and the hauberk, and the bright hair flowing?Where is the hand on the harpstring, and the red fire glowing?Where is the spring and the harvest and the tall corn growing?They have passed like rain on the mountain, like a wind in the meadowThe days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadowWho shall gather the smoke of the dead wood burningOr behold the flowing years from the Sea returning? ~ J.R.R. Tolkien

Good for you, Silver! I'm so glad for you! 25 years! God never ceases to amaze me!

I'm glad you liked my cat story, Blue! I liked yours too! Glad your cats are all doing okay. My Koko, and his sister Sassy are doing good too, if I can keep the neighbors' cats and dogs from attacking them. They've both been declawed (front claws only) but refuse to stay inside!

Todd, glad you found God! Or does He find us? Well, either way, I'm glad we have Him on our side!

Is'nt God wonderful!!27 years ago my husband and I were think of having a 3rd child. We already had 2 boys. I wanted a girl so bad. I asked God that this child would be my girl. When I found out that I was pregnet I thanked Him every day of those 9 months for my daughter. Never once beliving other wise, even when the Dr. said it was a boy. Well, God gave me my daughter. We were trying to come up with a name for just before she was born. We had decided on her first name Jaime. In the middle of the night it hit me as to what her middle name would be. Faith, because I had faith that God had given her to me. She has been such a blessing. We've always been close, she's my best friend now that she's grown. We've had a mother-daughter relationship that doesn't happen to often. Other people call her Jaime but she will always be my Faith

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"They That Wait Upon The LORD, Shall Renew Their Strength,They Shall Mount Up With Wings As Eagels,They Shall Run,And Not Be Werry;They Shall Walk, And Not Faint." ISAIAH 40:31